EPL: Manchester United vs Reading Preview

Manchester, Mar 16: Reading's sacking of Brian McDermott was shocking and it came when the Premier League strugglers visit Old Trafford to face league leaders Manchester United.

With a trip to Arsenal next week, no team in the bottom three have survived in the league after sacking their manager so late in the season. The Royals need at least 14 points from their last seven games to survive.

Reading have lost five games in a row including defeats to relegation rivals Wigan and Aston Villa.

Manchester United are looking to get back to winning ways after crashing out of the Champions League and the FA Cup draw to Chelsea last week. The last time they faced Reading it was a seven goal thriller, all of them scored in the opening 34 minutes.

United will aim to extend their 12 home league wins in a row while Reading can only hope for the worse, which is relegation.

Robin van Persie has not been on scoresheet for over month but is still their top-goal scorer this season.

Team News

Manchester United will miss Nani and Phil Jones due injury. The winger suffered a hamstring injury against Chelsea in the FA Cup while Jones has been out for amonth with an ankle problem.

Reading will be without Adam Federici and Jimmy Kebe. Keeper Federici is out with an ankle injury which means third-choice Stuart Taylor will start in front of goal. Pavel Pogrebnyak serves the last part of his three-game ban.

Trivia:

* Reading last beat Manchester United in the FA Cup in 1927.

* United have failed to win in their last two league and Cup games at Old Trafford.

Probable Lineups:

Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea-Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra-Carrick, Anderson-Valencia, Cleverley, Rooney-Van Persie.

Reading (4-4-2): Taylor-Kelly, Pearce, Mariappa, Harte-McAnuff, Leigertwood, Akpan, Robson-Kanu-Hunt, Le Fondre.

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